Old Friends and New Beginnings
by epiclink8480
Summary: Leah finally got to open the inn she always dreamed of, maybe just not under the circumstances she had intended. But when rumours of demons surface, and old friends come knocking at the door, Leah is forced to make a tough decision. Do nothing as her town dwindles one by one, or risk losing everything that she holds dear to stop it. COMPLETE (fem-demon hunter Nephalem)
1. The Lonely Demon Inn

Chapter 1: The Lonely Demon Inn

It was the evening rush hour, and Leah was busy cleaning ale mugs behind the counter of the inn. Looking up from her monotonous work, she surveyed the mix of patrons currently present. There was the usual bunch of course, farmers from the nearby countryside, a couple shopkeepers, but what made today interesting were the six mercenaries.

Six burly men sat at the largest table, laughing and singing about victory, friends, and times to come. It was a refreshing sight. As long as they didn't disturb the other customers or damage her inn she was happy to serve them. Besides, mercenaries were big spenders, and the extra gold wouldn't hurt.

Finished cleaning the mugs, Leah leaned back to fully take in the scene in front of her. The Lonely Demon was a decent sized inn. Its two stories towered over all the other buildings in town, even the town hall. Inside, the oak tables and chairs were regularly cleaned, and the smell of cedar from the clap-board walls added a calming scent to the air. The smell of simmering stew wafted from the kitchen, where her assistant Jason was hard at work preparing the evening meal to be served. A fire burned merrily in the hearth, its glow warming everyone in the room and beckoning those weary from their travels to relax.

Yes, it felt like a safe haven, and it had taken a lot of hard work to make it that way. When Leah had put the down payment on this place, it had been little more than an abandoned shack ready for demolition. Only through her hard work had she been able to turn it into what it was today. A haven for travelers for sure, but also for herself. She had named it the Lonely Demon partly as a jab at demons, but mostly as a jab at herself. It was her new home, and some of the regulars had even become acquaintances, and one day, she hoped, friends.

 _Friends_. The thought darkened her mood. She remembered her companions that she had been separated from a year ago, and she wondered yet again where they were and how they were doing. She wanted to see them again and catch up on all the things she had missed. It had been one hell of an adventure that they had shared together, surely they also wondered about what had become of her. Either that or they thought her dead.

She looked at her reflection in the cutlery in front of her. A young woman with short brown hair and hazel eyes gazed back at her. She looked almost the same as she did a year ago, save for the scar on her left cheek. A lovely parting gift from her battle with the high angel Imperious himself. Not that she had wanted to fight the angelic warrior in the first place.

Leah's thoughts were interrupted by the shouting of one of the mercenaries. "Hey barkeep, let's get another round going here! Me and my boys want to celebrate. Isn't that right lads?"

The rest of the party let out a loud "Hear hear!" as they clashed their mugs together in reverie.

Leah tried to shove her dark thoughts aside as she put on her signature smile. "Ok boys, one more round, but don't get too drunk. You start causing trouble and I may have to show you my mean side and kick you out." She teased as she started to fill another round of ale mugs.

One of the mercenaries gave her an unconvincing pout. "Us? Cause trouble? Never!" Leah only chuckled at his remark.

She deftly picked up all six mugs at once and distributed them among the soldiers, taking their large tips with a smile and a thank you. On her way back to the counter, one of the men reached out and grabbed her hand. "Hey inn-keep." He gave her a drunken mischievous smile, "Did it hurt when you fell out of heaven?" He proudly flexed his large biceps and raised an eyebrow, hoping to impress the fair brown-eyed maiden.

A flash of anger crossed Leah's mind. _How dare this moron touch—_ she caught herself. _Relax, he's just being an idiot. No harm no foul._ Still, she didn't want to encourage the behavior. "Not to be rude sir, but I'm not interested."

She had hoped it would be enough to dissuade the man, but he was apparently too drunk to notice her tone or too stupid to care. "Aww, c'mon lady, I'll treat you to a good night. And by tomorrow—"He never finished his sentence. A feeling of dread washed over him, and he looked up slowly to meet Leah's eyes.

The look of distain that she was giving him made him feel as if he was an annoying gnat that has only just caught her notice. _He was better off dead, He should roll over and die for his transgressions_ —But as suddenly as it had come, the feeling passed. Leaving him stunned. He found himself still staring at Leah and he quickly broke his gaze. She gave him a sad smile. "Sorry." She whispered softly.

The man sat up and shook his head, trying to get his bearings. The mercenary across from him reprimanded the man. "Hey Louis, you leave the nice lass alone. Can't you see you're not wanted?" He gave Leah an apologetic smile. "Sorry for my companion's demeanor ma'am. He will be getting no more drinks tonight."

Leah smiled at the aforementioned man, Louis. "Apology accepted. But no more drinks for the lot of you tonight." She tutted.

The mercenaries let out a long "aww", but then went right back to laughing. Finally shaking off the remaining feelings of terror, Louis seemed to remember himself, and went right back to celebrating as if nothing happened.

With a bang of the kitchen door Leah's assistant Jason flourished into the room with a large pot of a delicious smelling stew. He looked a little frazzled, and the tips of his dark hair were drenched in sweat. "Sorry for the wait," he gasped, "but the stew's done." He held up the massive pot triumphantly and the mercenaries let out a cheer. Putting the pot down, Jason grabbed wooden bowls and started filling them with the hearty stew.

Finally able to get a moment of reprieve, Leah returned to the bar, letting out a tired sigh. She felt a bit guilty for scaring the man, but he had been harassing her.

Yeah, that was something new of late. Not the harassment by men, that had always been a problem for her, and she assumed, every woman in the empire. No, it was her ability to intimidate people that was new. A short-ish, slight-build woman with a bubbly personality was, normally, the last person someone would be intimidated by. Trust her, she had tried before. But now, she could easily make the most battle-hardened veteran wet himself with a glance. It was as simple and easy as a thought, and that had been a problem at first. If she had a copper for every time she had accidentally projected her annoyance on someone within the past year, well, she could have opened a second inn.

Lost in her thoughts, she was startled when something brushed past her legs. Alarmed, she looked down only to find her barn cat purring and rubbing against her. She smiled and gave the friendly feline a scratch. She had found the poor thing thin as a stick and soaking wet in the rain. Of course she had fallen in love with it immediately, as she did with most cute animals, so she took it home and nursed him back to health. The cat never left after that, content to eat the mice around the inn and the meat scraps she occasionally fed him. She even named him Mr Snugglesworth. Jason had thought the name was ridiculous, but it was her cat and she could name it whatever she wanted. Finally done with her affection, the feline scampered away to curl up and nap in a corner of the room.

Jason finished serving the men, and all was silent for a brief moment as the mercenaries began to chow down on their food. Turning towards Leah, Jason gave her an apologetic smile as he leaned on the bar next to her. "What pigs they can be. They aren't bothering you are they? Because I can show them what's what if you need." He said flexing his thick arms, mocking of the other mercenary's behaviour.

Leah chuckled at his humour. "Boy's being assholes, nothing I can't handle Jason. Though the offer is appreciated. If I ever need a strong man I'll make sure to call you before that Louis fellow." She let out a chuckle and gave him a genuine smile. His face lit up in kind.

They stood there at the bar for a few moments, watching the men eat their food like they hadn't been fed in months. _Like animals on a carcass._ Leah thought to herself. Suddenly, horrifying images of demons ripping flesh from corpses on the battlements of Bastion's Keep flashed in her mind. She shuddered at the image before a shaking brought her back to reality. "Whoa where'd you go there? You looked like you were in a different dimension for a second." Jason looked at her with concern.

Suddenly feeling self-conscious and embarrassed, Leah cowered away from his touch. "It's nothing." She tried to dismiss his concern. "Jason you've worked hard tonight, I will look after this lot. You can go home now if you want."

A worried expression crossed Jason's face, and he looked like he was about to argue, but before he could utter a word, Leah cut him off. "I'm fine Jason. Go home."

"Ok… Ok, just… be careful. I don't want you to get hurt." His genuine concern caught Leah off guard. Leah gave Jason a long look, and he met her gaze with a soft expression. "People have been disappearing lately, and the folk around here are talking of darkness and demons." He explained.

Leah almost laughed at the mention of demons. She waved her hand dismissively, more confident this time. "If that's all, I promise I will be fine. Go. Home. Get some rest." Jason finally relented and went to pack his things. He returned a minute later, all packed up.

Just as he was about to leave the inn, he turned and gave Leah one last worried look. "See you tomorrow. Be safe." With that, he left.

Leah stood in silence for a few moments and thought over Jason's warning. "I'm the last person you need to worry about." She muttered to herself before walking off back to the bar.

* * *

The rest of the evening was relatively uneventful. The mercenaries got tired eventually and retired to their rooms, luckily leaving her dining room none the worse for wear.

She was putting the chairs back into position when the bell on the front door jingled, signaling a new visitor.

"What an odd name, the Lonely Demon. Could a demon ever be lonely?" A gruff male voice asked from around the corner.

"I think it is meant in an ironic fashion. As a lonely demon is somewhat of an oxymoron. Demons usually travel in packs, so most don't know what loneliness is. I find the name quite amusing. It is like a joke." A slightly accented female voice answered.

"I see your point. Well, in that case I give credit for whoever came up with the name. Stick it to the forces of darkness, in whatever way one can." The male voice enthusiastically responded.

Leah paused from her cleaning. She knew those voices…

The new patrons entered the room and Leah turned around to see who it was. "Valla?!" Leah cried out in surprise. It was indeed the Nephalem demon hunter in the flesh, and with Kormac the Templar no less! A joy sprang into her heart at the sight of her old friends. But just as quickly as the joy, a sense of dread came over her. The greatest demon hunters in the land just entered her inn. That could be a problem…

Kormac and Valla were stunned as well, but only for a moment. "By the heavens! Leah!" Kormac rushed forward and crushed the small girl in a massive bear hug. "It is good to see you friend!" He bellowed.

Valla also looked extremely happy to see Leah. For a woman that rarely showed much emotion at all, the look of elation on her face must have been genuine. "It is truly you?" The demon hunter asked.

Leah managed to chirp out a reply from between Kormac's huge arms. "Yes Valla, it is truly me! Ouch, can you stop crushing me Kormac?"

Kormac released her finally. "My apologies, but, we thought you dead! After Adria bound you and Diablo…" He let the sentence trail off. He didn't need to elaborate for her to know exactly what he meant.

Valla, not one to notice social cues even if they hit her in the face, continued for him anyways. "Yes, when Diablo possessed you and left to fight the high angels, we assumed you dead." Valla looked at Leah puzzled. "How did you survive that?"

Leah could feel sweat accumulating on her brow. "It's a long story. Let's just say that Diablo is dead and that's what matters." She stammered, "And anyways you both look very tired. How about I tell you more tomorrow after you've had a nice meal and a good night sleep. I'm sure we have some stew leftover."

Leah left for the kitchen to put some distance between her and her friends. Leaning on the counter, she took deep breaths and tried to calm her nerves. _It's okay, they are just concerned for you. No big deal. It's not like they're here to lynch you._ No surprise, the pep talk didn't help.

She hastily filled two bowls with the remainder of the stew and emerged from the kitchen. "Here we are. A good meal for good friends."

Valla looked concerned at Leah's behaviour, but Kormac took the stew eagerly and sat down at a table. "Leah, come sit with us! We have much to tell you about our travels!" Kormac dug into the meal, only to stop suddenly. Letting out an odd cooing sound, he reached under the table only to sit back up with a purring Mr Snugglesworth in his hands. "What a fine feline! And affectionate too! I give this establishment five stars!"

Valla ignored her companion's antics and continued to look at Leah worriedly. Then, finally seeming to understand that the topic of Leah's survival was a sore spot, she decided to drop the subject for the night. "Yes, come sit. We haven't seen you in over a year. Let us celebrate." Leah nodded her head and left to grab three mugs of ale from the bar, giving one to each of her friends and herself.

Kormac put down the cat and raised his mug high in a toast. "To old friends and new adventures!"

Valla lifted her mug too. "I'll drink to that."

Leah followed suit, getting lost in the moment of familiarity and belonging. Before long, all three were talking as if not a day had passed since they last saw each other. It almost made her forget the dreaded conversation she would have to have with her friends the following day. Almost.

* * *

A/N

New story yay! Thanks for reading my first chapter, and I hope you stick around for the rest of it. There will be 9 chapters plus a short epilogue, and I plan to update every 2 weeks.

Tell me what you all think! Good? Bad? What do you like? Dislike? Constructive criticism is always welcome.

Happy reading!


	2. Some Things Change

Chapter 2: Some Things Change…

Leah lay sleeping on the comfy bed in her room, enjoying a relaxed early morning. The first rays of dawn filtered in through the open window, and Leah groggily raised her hand to shield her eyes from the unwelcome awakening. She sleepily opened her eyes, only to jolt awake at the sight of a crimson red, clawed hand in front of her face. She sat up suddenly, frantically looking around for the danger… only for her to face-palm at her own stupidity a second later.

 _Good job Leah, you almost gave yourself a heart attack_.

She looked down at herself. "Shit…" She cursed under her breath. She must have shifted in her sleep.

She reluctantly got up out of bed to look in the standing mirror, sighing at the creature looking back at her.

She tried to part her hair in a way that it didn't sit oddly on her horns. Yes, her horns. The ones that stuck up and sideways out of her forehead and then turned backwards. She eventually gave up. Fussing with her hair had never helped before, and it certainly didn't today.

She had been lucky, her face was relatively unmarred, save for the reddish glow to her eyes. Shifting her gaze down, she touched the wicked spikes jutting out of her shoulders, they looked like some sort of Goth spaulders. As if they belonged to some strange set of armour worn by a knight who wanted to look cool more than he wanted to be functional.

Feeling an itch, she scratched her back. Her skin from her chin down was reddish and leathery, and what looked to be some sort of exoskeleton ribcage covered her midsection. Luckily or unluckily, she hadn't decided yet, her bosom, while covered in the same skin as the rest of her, was relatively unchanged. _And a real pain to fit in a bra._ She thought to herself as her tail swished back and forth in agitation.

Yes, she now had a tail, and it didn't help that it had sharp barbs running down it. They stuck into anything softer than stone, including beds, chairs, tables, clothes, it was a nightmare. At least it had been before she had mastered turning back to normal. Or was this her normal self? The verdict was out on that too.

She shifted her weight from foot to foot, bouncing a little on the floor. Her legs were covered in nasty-looking spikes that jutted out and upwards, but they still had a distinctly feminine shape to them. Not that it really mattered, they were still demon's legs.

Finally, that left her feet, thankfully not hooved, but still clawed like her hands.

She stood up to her full height. About a foot taller than when she was human, but not nearly the size of just about every other demon.

The resemblance to her father Diablo was unmistakeable, and she hated it. Only a year ago she had fought alongside her friends to bring an end to the Lord of Terror's evil. So it's just her luck that she had ended up as a twisted mockery of herself in his image.

Leah looked herself over, once, twice. The same routine that she did every time, trying to adjust to her demonic visage. She tried a smile in the mirror, and it looked genuine enough, if the glowing eyes didn't put you off. Letting out a frustrated groan, she shoved the mirror against the wall with a thud. Her claws left deep gashes in the wooden frame. "Damnit!" she cursed aloud.

She sat down heavily on her bed. She didn't ask for this. She didn't want it. Every day she had hoped to wake up and find everything back to normal. That Uncle Deckard would calm her and tell her stories of the old horadrim to cheer her up. That she could just lose herself in old tomes in some dusty library and forget that the outside world existed. Instead, every single day, she woke up to the reminder that nothing would ever be normal. Not for her.

A tear slid down her cheek. _Uncle._ The memory of her loving guardian of many years brought a fresh wave of grief. It had only been a year since she had lost him, but so much had changed. Pulling her legs up to her chest and hugging her frame, she cried silently for the things she had lost.

She suddenly felt something against her side, and turned to find her cat purring and rubbing up against her. The feline was half trying to cheer her up and half scratching himself on her spiky exterior. She let out a sigh and picked up the grey tabby cat gently in her hands. "You're not afraid of anything are you Mr Snugglesworth?" She asked, holding the cat at arm's length. Mr Snugglesworth let out a small affirmative meow as if he understood her. She put him back down on the bed, where he continued to rub up against her and purr.

A sudden knocking on Leah's door startled her, and the cat jumped off and hid under the bed. A familiar female voice filled with concern came from the outside. "Leah, are you alright? I heard a loud thud." Valla must have heard her shove the mirror!

"Uh, don't come in! I'm fine Valla. I'm just changing and I um, accidentally bumped the mirror into the wall." She lied. Thankfully, her voice was still her normal voice, no matter what she looked like.

Valla obliged with her friend's request. "Ok but I will warn you, I feel an unease, as if a demonic presence is near. Please be vigilant my friend." With the sounds of receding footsteps, the huntress left.

Leah sighed in relief, but Valla's ability to sense demonic presence had almost gotten her into trouble. She quickly changed into her day clothes and into her normal guise in case she had any other unexpected visitors.

She looked in the mirror once more. The Leah everyone knew and loved stared back at her. She looked tired. Heck she _was_ tired. She had been up most of the night worrying about what to tell her friends, and what little sleep she did get was plagued by nightmares of a monster stalking her in the forest. A vision? Or just another dream? She would probably ponder it later, but she currently had more immediate matters to attend to.

She had decided last night that she had to tell her friends the truth. Trust went two ways, and if she expected them to trust her, then she had to trust them in kind. After all, they already knew that she was the spawn of Diablo, maybe the new demonic form wouldn't be that big of a surprise to them?

 _Or they could shoot me on sight and burn my remains…_ She started worrying all over again. _No, they will understand. You just have to be honest and non-threatening._ She thought back to her attempt at a smile in the mirror just a few minutes earlier. _Yeah right, non-threatening. Ha-ha._ With a sigh, she collected herself and prayed to whatever deity lived in the heavens that wasn't Imperious that things would go well that day.

With her wake up routine finally finished, Leah left to get her inn up and running, and hopefully not screw up the friendships that mattered most to her.

* * *

The main room was empty besides the three. The mercenaries from the night before were likely hungover from their celebrations, and the local patrons rarely boarded overnight.

Leah entered the room from the staircase to the second level. She saw Valla and Kormac sitting at the bar speaking in hushed voices. They looked concerned.

The last step made a creak as Leah put her weight on it, causing her friends to snap their attention towards her. "Ah there she is. Our lovely host. You wouldn't happen to have anything that could pass for a breakfast would you?" Kormac gave her a warm smile. Valla, tried for a smile as well, but the worry still showed.

Leah relaxed a bit. "Of course. I hope you don't mind oatmeal." She replied cheerily.

Kormac let out a guffaw. "The breakfast of champions. Sticks to your stomach. I think I speak for the both of us when I say it would be splendid."

Valla nodded her approval as well. "Thank you Leah."

Leah went to the kitchen for a few minutes and returned with three large bowls of oatmeal.

"So," Leah began, "What brings you guys to my lovely inn in the middle of nowhere?"

Valla swallowed a spoonful of oatmeal before replying. "We have been hired by the local authority to help the people of this town, as there have been reports of a powerful demon hiding in this part of the countryside." She looked her friend in the eyes, very serious. "It is our job to find this demon, and kill it."

Leah gulped nervously. No, they couldn't possibly be looking for her. She hadn't done anything wrong! Sure, one time she had run out of tinder and had to light the hearth with hellfire, but that didn't hurt anyone. Or maybe it was the time that she scared away a huge bear that had gotten into the cellar one day by growling at it. No wait, it had to be the time that she accidentally stumbled onto a bandit camp when exploring the woods nearby. She hadn't killed anyone, but there was a new charred clearing where the camp had been, and she was sure as hell that the bandits were never coming back.

 _Wait wait wait. Don't get ahead of yourself._ _None of those things count as terrorizing the locals._

"So, this demon," She queried, "What has it done exactly?"

Kormac took the opportunity to speak. "We have reports of people disappearing suddenly. Some of the farmers report that large footprints are found at each of the victim's house, among signs of a struggle."

Valla took over the explanation. "We visited some of the houses already. I could feel the dark corruption on every one of them, but every one of them had a cold trail. It had been too long since the attacks, so whatever residual essence had once been there was long gone."

Leah thought over this new revelation. It sure sounded troubling, and it was true that some people had gone missing as of late, but she hadn't really considered that it could have been a demon at work. "So what are you guys planning on doing?" She asked.

Valla was the one to answer "Today we are going to scour the surrounding woods again in search of any signs of demonic presence that could lead us to its lair."

Kormac wanted to add his two cents. "We hope that if we manage to find the beast soon, some of the missing townsfolk could still be alive. Some demons like to play with their prey before devouring it."

Leah was still lost in thought over the new information when Valla decided to switch topics again. "So Leah, now I get to ask the questions. Last night you promised us an explanation as to how you survived demonic possession by the Lord of Terror himself." The huntress asked expectantly. Kormac leaned in closer too.

Leah suddenly felt very self-conscious. A few minutes ago she had been prepared to tell them everything, but now, with this new revelation, she was afraid that she might implicate herself as a suspect in the attacks. She tried desperately to think of a way out of the conversation.

"Okay, where do I start?" Her mind raced, "So, Diablo possessed me. You all know that." Leah shuddered at the thought. "It was terrible. I was a prisoner in my own body, no control over it, yet I could feel all the terrible things he did using me." Another shiver passed through her as the memories of the war in Heaven came back to her. "You know most of it. Fighting Imperious, leading a demon army to the High Heavens, and so on."

She tried to rush through the next part, not wanting to dwell on it any longer than necessary. "All I could do was watch… And when you came? I prepared for the end. I knew you had to defeat Diablo, no matter the cost." Leah took a deep breath, remembering the anguish she had felt during that battle. "The angels cast Diablo from the heavens when you were done with him. As he, or we, I honestly don't know, fell through the sky, all I could feel was fire. I felt Diablo leave me then. To where I have no idea. But at that moment, I thought I would die. I was prepared to die… I almost wished I had died."

All that Leah had said so far was true, but now she had to skirt around some details. She paused, trying to decide what to share next. "Only, I lived"

"I managed to survive, miraculously. I was badly hurt, but something must have been looking down upon me with mercy. All I got was this." She motioned to the scar on her left cheek. "I found myself far away from home, and with no way to contact you guys. By the time I got to a town, Malthael and his corrupt angels invaded and I bought this inn for real cheap as a way to house refugees. After all was said and done, I just kept it." She sighed tiredly, "I'm sorry for leaving you guys, but I think I'm more trouble than I'm worth."

She didn't tell them that she was pretty sure that it was only her blossoming demonic strength that had saved her from the fall from the heavens. That her shame over her actions, done under the influence of a Diablo or not, weighed heavily on her. That her hideous form made her feel revolted. Of the time and effort it took her to get her demonic powers under control so that she wasn't a threat to anyone. Those things she didn't feel safe sharing, for fear of her friends and how they would react.

Kormac looked sympathetic, and so did Valla to an extent, but judging by the look on the demon hunter's face, she knew that Leah was withholding information. _Damn, it is impossible to get anything by her isn't it?_

However, Valla seemed to decide that it wasn't worth prying over at that moment. "Thank you for sharing Leah. I can see how hard this is for you. Just know that we are here for you, anytime you need us." Valla tried to reassure her friend and gave her a comforting pat on the shoulder. Leah tensed under her touch, afraid that Valla might feel the demon lying under her skin from the contact. Her fears were unfounded however, as Valla didn't show any sign of unease.

Kormac wanted to ask some questions too. "So Leah." He started, but then looked around the room to make sure they were alone. "Last we saw you, we had all just found out a pretty important revelation. So tell us…" He lowered his voice further. "Any more emerging, err… magic as of late?"

Leah was afraid of his question at first. They all knew her magic stemmed from her demonic lineage, but Kormac didn't seem threatening, just curious. Valla too, looked more interested than anything else. Leah was relieved that they didn't despise her for it, at least not now. Still, they just thought that she had a little demonic magic at her disposal, they didn't know the half of it.

"A bit" She admitted, confirming their suspicions. She took the opportunity to show off a little parlour trick she had been practicing for fun. Raising her hand in front of her, she summoned red hellfire in her palm, the flames dancing across her fingers. Valla and Kormac looked impressed, and she gave them a sheepish smile. "I've been practicing. Getting a hold on it. No more explosive episodes for me."

Valla looked relieved. "That is great to hear Leah. I'm proud of you."

Kormac gave Leah a hard pat on the back. "Amazing! Have you ever thought of becoming a sorceress?" Leah shot him a disapproving look and he laughed. "I jest, I jest. But it is good to know that your, uh, questionable heritage no longer rules you as it once did." He tried his best to not insult his friend, but she knew what he meant. She had demon blood. Tainted blood. _And more than that._ Still, it was a start.

* * *

The three were finishing their breakfast when the mercenaries finally came down from their rooms. After an hour and a good meal for them, the mercenaries left with a thank you and a large tip, stating that should they ever pass thought the area again, she could expect their business.

Leah looked at the mid-morning sun filtering through the window of her inn, and a concerned look passed over her features. Valla noticed her friend's expression. "What is it Leah?"

"It's just Jason, my hired help, is usually here by now. That man is never late." She lowered her gaze. "This is so unlike him."

Kormac, overhearing the conversation, decided to chip in. "Well, seeing as you do not have any other customers right now, why don't we check on him? I'm sure I would love to meet this fellow." He offered eagerly.

Leah thought about it for a moment. She was usually unwilling to leave the inn unattended, but she also was really worried for her friend. "Ok, let me lock up and we'll go check his house. He doesn't live far."

Leah started the process of locking the place down, and on her way out of her bedroom, she noticed her old bow, unstrung in the corner. She hadn't had to use the weapon since she opened the inn.

She looked at it for a moment, debating taking it or not, before stringing it and putting a fresh quiver of arrows on her back. Hopefully she wouldn't need it, but if she and her friends were attacked, she sure as hell would not be using her claws.

Leah descended the stairs only to find her friends already suited up and waiting for her. Just like old times. "Ok, I'm ready." She took a deep breath. "Let's go."


	3. Dark Things Lurk

Chapter 3: Dark Things Lurk in the Woods

Leah knew something was amiss the moment that she laid eyes on Jason's home. While nothing jumped out at her as being amiss, something in the back of her mind warned her to be cautious.

Everything around the house seemed fine. A small vegetable garden grew beside the lot, the plants lovingly tended and maintained. During harvest season Jason brought some of his own produce to the inn to be used in the meals.

The wooden log house in the center of the clearing was hand made my Jason himself, and it fit in perfectly with the light forest surrounding the property. The whole place appeared quaint, but homely.

The trio approached the house cautiously. Upon closer inspection of the homestead, Valla noticed that the deadbolt and door frame were broken, quite forcefully.

This really worried Leah. What would someone want from inside Jason's home? It surely couldn't be a robbery, Jason kept few valuable things on him. A kidnapping then? Jason himself wasn't a high-born noble or someone else of societal importance, at least he never said he was anything of the kind, so that theory was also unlikely.

She entered the shack gingerly, tying not to disturb anything. "Jason? You here?" She called out to her friend. The main room was dark, but even without her enhanced dark vision, it would have been obvious to anyone that this place had been in a fight. Furniture was overturned, long gashes ran along the walls, and the bed was in shreds. A cold feeling of dread seated itself in Leah.

"This place reeks of demonic corruption." Valla commented as she too crossed the threshold. The huntress proceeded to pick up various objects and inspect them closely, while Kormac walked over to Leah and tried to comfort her. "I'm so sorry. But this doesn't look good for your friend."

Leah was in shock. How could someone do something like this? Jason was one of the kindest people she knew. He was the last person that this should have happened to. She put a hand to her mouth. "Oh Jason…"

Valla let out an "aha!" as she held up an object for her friends to see. It looked like a black shard of something… No not a shard, a scale, dark as pitch.

Leah took a minute to process the find, but the ramification hit her like a ton of bricks. Her friend had been attacked by a demon. Probably the same demon that had been taking people for weeks.

Kormac let out a yell. "Blasted demon! They will pay for this."

Suddenly feeling claustrophobic in the small shack, Leah rushed outside and hunched over her knees. She gasped, trying to get some fresh air into her lungs. No, this couldn't be happening. There were no demons around. This was her place, her safe haven! _Her territory_ … She shook her head at the thought. Still, the thought of a demon, correction, another demon, prowling near her place and attacking people made her scared and angry at the same time.

Finally catching her breath, the ground in front of her caught her attention. The grass was flattened at odd angles, and as she inspected it closer, she realised a massive footprint was imbedded in the soft ground.

"Guys! I think I found something!"

Valla and Kormac rushed outside to see this new discovery, and Valla inspected the tracks closely. "Fresh, no more than a day old, and heading south." She pointed to some grooves in the dirt. "And dragging something behind it too."

Moving along the path, she reached down a picked up a leaf from the ground, it had a rust coloured splotch on it. Valla gave it a sniff. "Blood, but not human. Seems your friend put up a fight. Good." She turned and looked into the woods in the direction of the tracks. "A wounded demon returns to its lair. Seems it got sloppy this time."

Valla pulled out and primed her dual crossbows. "We must hurry if we want to catch it. Leah, return to your inn, Kormac and I will handle things from here."

"Yes, rest assured we will not cease out search until this foul beast is found and vanquished." Kormac agreed.

Leah seriously considered letting her friends handle the situation. Surely they could handle one demon, they had defeated the prime evils after all. But at the same time, Leah was worried for her friend. She couldn't run the inn without his help, and more importantly, she cared greatly for him. He had been there almost from the get-go.

He'd been the first one to welcome her to the village, and the first one to offer her help with the daunting task of running an inn. His ready smile and caring nature made every day a bit more bearable. He had been her only friend for months, and if not for his hard work, or sense of humour, the inn would never have become the sanctuary that it had for her…

He made the Lonely Demon feel less lonely.

"Forget it." She rebutted, "Jason is my friend, and I will not sit on my butt while you guys are fighting for me." Leah unslung the bow from her back and knocked an arrow.

"You better make room for one more archer."

* * *

The trio of heroes tracked the demon through the woods well into the day. "Good angels, this demon walked a long way. What has it been, ten miles?" Leah complained.

Valla looked unfazed. "More like eight. But I can sense it will be not far now." The huntress closed her eyes in concentration. "The sense of corruption is getting stronger. We are close."

Leah felt relived, but also fearful. What if they were too late? What if Jason was dead and the Demon had escaped to attack more unwitting innocents?

Kormac smiled at Leah. "Well I look forward to battling a worthy foe. And it pleases me to know that this battle will be fought alongside our old friend." He had a genuine smile of excitement and anticipation. Kormac had always had a taste for the thrill of battle. Especially when fought alongside friends.

Leah on the other hand had never liked fighting much at all. Well, she didn't used to anyway. Nowadays, whenever a fight broke out around her, she had a strong urge to join in and show the idiots their place. Or to egg them on and feed off the negative emotions flying from the combatants. The rage and terror of mortals were like a drug, and it took all of her willpower to break up bar fights in her inn instead of feeding off of every last ounce of anger and hatred from them. Just another thing she despised about herself.

The thought of a fight worried her greatly. Yes she had fought a lot in those first few weeks after her fall from the heavens, and she could take care of herself now, but this time the stakes were higher. She had her friends with her, and she would rather die than see them hurt. The memories of her fight, no, Diablo's fight with them still weighed heavily in her mind. She tried to steel her nerves. _You are better than that. This is what you practice for. You are in control, you are you. You can do this._ The self-pep talk did little to ease her anxiety.

Valla noticed her friend's unease. "Are you okay Leah? You seem distressed."

Leah tried to put on a reassuring smile. "Oh, just pre-battle nerves I guess. It's been a long time since I've fought." It was actually true, Leah hadn't been in a battle for months.

Kormac walked over and gave Leah a hug. "Worry not my friend. We will fight alongside you. A bit of nerves always makes the warrior more alert." He tried to reassure her.

She appreciated the gesture, even if she couldn't breathe in his crushing embrace. "Thanks Kormac." She squeaked out from between his arms. He released her but continued to walk beside her, giving her a reassuring pat on the back. She felt reassurance at knowing that they were there for her.

Valla cleared her throat to get everyone's attention. "As much as I love this heart to heart, we have a demon to slay and a man to save. Best we get going." She said as she increased the pace.

Leah agreed, the longer they waited, the less likely Jason would be alive when they found him. As the confrontation drew closer, Leah couldn't help but feel a bit of a rush alongside the nerves. _You messed with the wrong girl._ She mentally spat at her image of Jason's smiling face emerged in her mind, and an ache spread out from her heart. _Hold on Jason, I'm coming._

* * *

The cave had an unassuming entrance. No more than 5 feet high at the mouth, from a distance it seemed to be more of a bear's den than a demon's lair. Appearances could be deceiving however.

The cave was deep, very deep. It extended far beyond what even Leah's dark vision could see. Its appearance resembled the maw of a beast, rows of stalactite teeth ready to devour anything foolish enough to enter its depths. Quite frankly, it freaked her out.

"This is it." Valla declared. "The trail stops here." They stood a few moments in silence on the precipice of the darkness.

Kormac hefted his mighty shield in front of him. "Well no use standing around out here. Glory awaits!" He stepped into the maw of the cave holding a torch that he just lit, bravely facing whatever the depths might hold.

Leah motioned to Valla. "After you." Valla nodded and took her position behind Kormac, with Leah bringing up the rear. Should anything attack them from the front, Kormac's shield would protect them from the worst of it.

The cave twisted downwards, and soon the only light source was the torch that Kormac held. Its dancing flames did little to illuminate the cavern. Like a single match held to the dead of night.

While the more human companions shuffled forward blindly, Leah could see quite well. The dim light of the torch provided ample light for her.

The cave was narrow, only wide enough for two people to stand side by side. The rock, despite extending almost twelve feet high now, gave the impression of pressing down on them. Hoping to crush them beneath its mass.

Half of her was intimidated by the environment, but the other half admired it as the perfect entrance to a lair. The demon had made a clever choice. She smacked herself in the side of the head. _Stop it! That's wrong! It's a creepy cave, who in the right mind would want to live here?_

They walked for a few minutes, picking their way slowly through the passage. Carefully listening for any sign of danger that could be lurking in the shadows.

"I don't fancy the feeling of this place." Whispered Kormac.

"Indeed, the further we descend, the more this place reeks of corruption. I do not wish to dally here." Valla agreed.

Leah remained silent. She too felt an unease, but it was more akin to the annoyance of an unwelcome guest than the uneasy fear of an unknown assailant. She kept this to herself, and tried to banish the thoughts from her mind. _We are here for Jason. Not some sort of dignity. Remember that._ She scolded herself.

Lost in her self-reprimanding, she failed to notice that they were no longer in a corridor. Their once narrow path had opened up into a large cavern. It was almost 40 feet high and nearly double that across. Humongous stalactites and stalagmites jutted from the floor and ceiling like trees in a forest of stone. The sound of trickling water could be heard echoing in the cavern, and the torchlight cast eerie shadows on the uneven stone of the wall.

Valla's foot hit something hard, and the huntress recoiled slightly as she realised it was a human skull. "This is the lair all right." She proclaimed to her companions.

Kormac let out a low whistle that echoed in the cavern. "Would you look at this place? If it wasn't the stinking cesspool of a foul demon, it could be beautiful."

A low groan of pain emanated from across the cavern. All three heroes heard it, and Valla held up her hand as a signal to wait. Silently, she started to pick her way across the cavern, with Kormac and Leah waiting for her signal to proceed. Valla looked carefully around a particularly large stalagmite, and her eyes widened in surprise. She quickly motioned for her friends to join her.

"Jason!" Leah exclaimed. She bent down to the hunched figure on the floor. "Oh my god Jason you're alive." She was relieved to see him, but he looked badly wounded.

Jason reached out with a bloodied hand and touched Leah's cheek. "Leah? I'm so happy to see-" He let out a rattling cough and spat blood on the floor.

He was in bad shape. It looked like both his legs were broken, likely done by the demon so that he couldn't escape. He was covered in bruises and scratches from head to toe. One of his eyes was swollen shut and crusted over, while the other one was bloodshot and tearing up.

Leah gingerly reached out and brushed some hair from his eyes. "I'm so sorry Jason. But we're here now, you're going to be okay."

Jason took a rattling breath. "The bastard. I didn't see him coming until it was too late. I managed to knife him, but he just shrugged it off like it was a bug bite." He let out another painful cough.

"That shit broke my bones, broke my ribs. He's just toying with me." He coughed even more loudly, and Leah feared he would pass out. "I just want to go home." He finally managed to rasp between spasms.

"We will. We will be home soon." Leah looked towards her other friends. "Kormac can you help me lift—" She stopped. Kormac was looking around frantically.

"Something doesn't feel right." He muttered.

Valla was also on edge, surveying the room carefully. "Why was your friend so easy to find?" She asked while shaking her head. "I was foolish. This place reeks of evil."

Leah was now concerned too. She started looking around frantically for the demon as well. She could see much better in the dark than her friends could, and was more likely to spot the fiend should it be lurking close by. _Come on Leah! If you were a demon… Scratch that, if you were setting an ambush in this cavern, where would you hide?_

She knew immediately, and shifted her gaze to the ceiling… only to meet a pair of glowing red eyes.

"The ceiling! He's on the ceiling!" She shouted a warning to her friends, but it was too late. With a roar the demon dropped from its perch and attacked.

Caught off guard, Kormac barely had enough time to raise his shield to keep the creature's claws from ripping his face wide open. The torch skittered out of his hand and landed in a patch of oil from a toppled lantern. Soon the whole cavern was alight with an orange glow.

Finally able to see their assailant, the three heroes took a good look at their opponent.

The demon was almost twelve feet tall, and heavily muscled. Its reddish-orange figure had massive black spikes jutting from all parts of it. Its legs extended backwards like some sort of raptor, and yet it stood on two feet. It had a similar appearance to Diablo, but much smaller.

"A Terror Demon!" Yelled Valla.

The demon wasted no time in following up on its initial attack. It struck Kormac again before the warrior could regain his footing from the initial blow. The Templar fell over with a crash, the claws of the demon cutting through his plate armour like a hot knife through butter. It's claws left deep gashes in the warrior's flesh. The demon gave him a powerful kick and Kormac went flying across the room. Before the monster could pursue his foe, it was hit by an arrow in the side of the head.

Leah stood twenty yards away from the creature, another arrow already in her bowstring. "Come on you overgrown lizard! Try me on for size!" She fired her second arrow, this time lighting it on fire with hell flames. She hit the creature square in the chest, but the arrow didn't stick very deep in the thick hide.

The fire did more damage to the creature than the arrow itself, but that wasn't saying much, as the only sign of effect was the slight sizzle of flesh around the tiny wound. Little more than a bee sting to the monstrous beast.

Her attack only seemed to enrage the demon further, and this time it lunged at Leah. She instinctively raised her bow to defend herself, but it knocked her down with its mighty blow. Even worse, the blow snapped her bow in two.

Lying on her back, the demon loomed over her, ready to take her head off. She desperately let off a blast of hellfire at the creature, but it didn't seem to have much effect. The thick hide and scales protected the creature from the heat of the blast. She braced for another blow, when suddenly the creature was hit in the back by six crossbow bolts in quick succession. Valla had joined the fight!

The demon hunter prepared for another volley of deadly bolts as she paced her foe. She threw down the spike traps she had been preparing to slow the creature down as it advanced on her.

The demon forgot his incapacitated prey and instead focused on the new threat. Leah knew that Valla didn't have much time. While the huntress's ability to inflict harm was great, she had no defence should the demon actually reach her.

The first spike trap triggered when the demon stepped on it, then the second, all the while the brave huntress peppered it with bolts. The demon was taking considerable damage, but it was not working fast enough! Leah watched helplessly as the demon stalked towards her friend.

The monster was almost upon the hunter, when an angry Templar tackled it from behind. "You will not harm her!" He roared at the demon as he tried to bring his mace around to hit his opponent in the face. To Leah's horror, the demon reached back and grabbed Kormac by the chest and hurled him into Valla as if he weighed nothing. The both of them fell to the ground, and they struggled to get back to their feet.

The demon had all but forgotten about Leah, sitting on the ground with her broken bow. She tried to think of a way to help he friends. They were going to die!

Her bow was broken, and there were no other weapons around that she could use, let alone was trained in. Should she try hellfire again? No, it didn't do much to the creature at point blank, and it was even less effective at a distance. Worse still, she had no way of avoiding her friends in her attack. Fire didn't discriminate between friend and foe.

She was running out of time! What could she do?! Just one scrawny girl without a weapon against a monster…

Realization struck her. She wasn't just some girl, but still she hesitated. She didn't want to use her power. There was no telling how her friends would react, or if she could take on the demon in front of her even at full strength.

A pain shot though her heart. She thought back to the laughs that they had shared. The gusto of Kormac proclaiming his vision of honor and dedication to protecting his friends. The quiet understanding that Valla had whenever Leah needed to talk about her problems. They were her best friends, they had fought through hell and flames together, and Leah realised that there really wasn't a choice.

If she did nothing, then the outcome was certain. If she took this risk, then there was a chance, no matter how small, that she could save them.

She would not lose them, not here. Not to this _thing_.

With new conviction the fear vanished, and all that was left…

Was rage.

* * *

A/N

I originally had this split into two chapters, but it was just too short. So the story is going to be one chapter less than originally planned, but hey, you get it sooner!

Thanks for the support I have been getting for this story, it means a lot to me.

Battle conclusion next update! Cliffhanger muhahaha!

Until next time. ;)


	4. Lesser of Two Evils

Chapter 4: The Lesser of Two Evils

Valla and Kormac tried to steady themselves. Valla's left arm was broken, but still she tried to raise her remaining arm and get a clear shot on the demon encroaching on her.

Kormac was no better for wear. His armour was dented and stiff. The demon had shorn deep gashes in the metal, which was now cutting into his flesh like razors with every painful movement. His shield was too far away for him to grab in time, so he stood protectively in front of his comrade. Trying to shield her from the monstrosity that was coming for them. The beast would not touch the Nephalem as long as he drew breath.

Valla shot her crossbow over Kormac's shoulder once, twice, but the bolts did almost nothing to the creature. It was too little too late.

It loomed over them, raising its mighty claws to finish off its foolish prey. A look of satisfaction was present on its face, a gleam of intelligence in its eye. " _Pathetic mortals._ " It hissed in a deep, raspy voice. Kormac braced for the blow. Glancing one last time at his comrade protected behind him. "With my last breath…" He whispered and closed his eyes.

His final act of martyrdom was cut short, however, as a keening screech echoed through the cavern.

Caught by surprise, the demon turned to look towards the source of the sound… just in time to get a face full of razor sharp claws.

Very few thoughts ran through Leah's mind as she attacked the larger demon. A red haze had fallen over her vision as her focus narrowed in the heat of battle. _Protect friends… Kill, KILL!_ With each repetition, her frenzy grew and attacks increased in ferocity.

The terror demon recovered from its initial surprise quickly. Even under the barrage of strikes to its face, it managed to grab Leah by the arm and throw her across the room. The demoness forcefully crashed straight through a stalagmite in a rain of dust and rocks, shaking the cavern in the impact.

Most people would have been killed from such a strike, but Leah wasn't most people. She shook off the rubble from the crash, got up, and charged again.

She made a move towards the demon's torso, planning another deadly swipe with her claws. The demon read her moves and deftly sidestepped out of the way of the strike. Reacting quickly to her opponent's movements, Leah lashed out at its legs and knocked the demon off balance. The demon stumbled back slightly, and she managed to drag the spikes of her tail across its torso as she turned around, leaving long bloody gashes. The Terror demon may have been big, but she was fast.

The bloodied demon screamed in rage. With a powerful kick, it launched itself at its foe, quickly closing the distance between it and its female opponent. Leah tried to step out of its reach, but its reach was too wide. It grabbed her in its massive arms and shoved her into a wall, pinning her there.

" _Traitorous scum."_ The demon hissed, _"You would attack your own kind? Your own flesh! After we have been dealt a humiliating blow from the mortal gnats? The Prime Evils will flay you alive for this._ "

Leah clawed helplessly at her opponent's arms, trying to free herself from his grasp. The initial impact had knocked the wind out of her, and Leah gasped to regain her breath. The sudden shock of being thrown and trapped against a wall snapped her back to her senses.

Pure hatred flowed through Leah as she regarded the creature holding her against the wall. A fiery intensity shone in her eyes, glowing with the brilliance of a searing flame. The glow cast her features in a light that accentuated the lines of anger on her face, turning her normally kind face into a truly intimidating visage.

In her rage, a raspy undertone of something dark and not of this realm laced her voice.

" _You, and the Prime Evils, can rot in hell!"_

Leah mustered up all her strength and kicked the larger demon in the legs, causing it to stumble backwards. It loosened its grip slightly, but it was all the opportunity that she needed. Leah quickly wriggling out of its grasp and regained her footing. Finally free from its hold, she wasted no time taking the opportunity to make another attack.

Launching herself off the wall that had pinned her only moments ago, she funnelled all the demonic energy she could muster into a fist and struck the larger demon midair. The fiery punch connected with the side of the demon's face in a burst of energy, and the resulting blast of power knocked it to the ground.

The demon now lay prone on its back before her, but Leah's rage only intensified. Jumping onto its torso, she ripped relentlessly into the fiend with her claws.

" _You are filth!"_

She struck at its exposed chest, ripping strips of thick scaled hide from the stunned creature.

" _You are a blight!"_

She dug her claws deeper, now ripping steaming chunks of red flesh from the monster.

" _And you will NOT. HURT. MY. FRIENDS!"_

She dug her claws deep into the monster's torso, finally fully ripping through the thick hide and scales, exposing the vulnerable tissue underneath.

The larger demon let out a gurgle of a roar. It had never been injured so badly. But surprise only lasted so long. It snapped out of its daze. Seemingly unaffected by the pain of Leah's attack, and utilizing speed it hadn't shown before, it seized the smaller demoness' neck in a single monstrous hand.

Leah gasped for breath, struggling to free herself from its grasp as the demon started to rise to a standing position. As it rose, it tightened its grip, slowly crushing Leah's throat in an agonising turn of fate.

Leah's lungs burned for air as darkness started to intrude on the edges of her vision, her brain losing the ability to function as its cells died one by one.

The demon appeared to grin at her, savouring every moment that it tormented its victim. Relishing a sick pleasure that only a true evil of the burning hells could feel. The demon looked so smug, so sure of itself. It had won this battle and the little demoness that had caused it so much trouble was finally at its mercy.

It let out a menacing laugh, raising the smaller demon above its head, preparing to smash her skull in on the floor… right before a giant mace hit it in the back of the head.

Kormac withdrew his mace and struck the beast again and again, knocking it down to a kneeling position. Under the barrage from the templar, the demon dropped Leah. She gasped for the air now finally available to her lungs, relishing every sweet breath as she lay on the floor.

The demon reeled on Kormac, but the mighty templar finally had his shield. The mighty barrier allowed him to hold off the demon as it struck repeatedly. It dented the heavily armoured warrior's shield, but did not break his guard.

Seeing that its opponent would not be beaten with normal attacks, the demon raised both arms in preparation for a devastating double handed overhead blow. A foolish move, as it left an opening for the third attacker. With a click of a trigger and a whoosh, a crossbow bolt buried itself in the demon's bloody and vulnerable chest.

It was a clean shot to the heart. One that made use of the exposed soft flesh where Leah had ripped the scales away. The demon roared in anger and tried to grab at the bolt now protruding from its chest. Its dark blood flowed from the wound onto the cave floor, creating a slick surface on the hard stone. In its struggle with the projectile, the demon slipped, falling backwards onto the cavern floor, writhing in agony as its lifeblood drained from its wound.

It writhed in agony for what felt like ages, until finally with one last twitch, the monstrosity went limp.

Its body started to crumble to ash. Slowly disintegrating and lifted as if on an unfelt breeze. With hatred burning in its eyes, it turned its head to look straight at Leah, crouched a few metres away. She saw her reflection in the monster's eyes. A bloodied and vicious demon, eyes burning with hatred stared back at her. It was almost as if she was not looking at her reflection at all, but the image of a terrifying monster straight out of the burning hells.

The demon took a wracked breath. " _You will pay for your treachery."_ It whispered, the last remnants of it's essence fading into dust.

" _The prime evils… live…"_

The light faded from the creature's eyes, and the last of its broken body crumbled into oblivion.

#

The battle finally over, Leah leaned forward on her hands and tried to catch her breath. Placing a hand over her chest, it took a few minutes before she felt the frantic thudding of her heart finally start to slow as the adrenaline of battle began to wear off.

She let out a low chuckle. They had done it! They were alive!

Leah was about to relax, until she heard the click of a crossbow being primed. Fearing the worst, Leah turned around slowly towards the origin of the sound.

It was as bad as she had feared. Valla, one of her best friends, was pointing her weapon at _her._ A sinking feeling grabbed Leah. She tried to read her friend's guarded expression.

She saw anger, betrayal, but also, hesitation. The demon huntress was unsure of what to do with the demon in front of her. The conflicting emotions played across her features in a way that was quite obvious. The only indication of the war of thoughts playing out in her mind.

Kormac also stood defensively, equally unsure of how to handle the situation. He stood with his shield raised defensively, protecting Valla from her, but the templar's mace was hanging at his side.

Suddenly feeling very self-conscious under her friend's scrutinising glares, Leah looked down at herself.

Her clothes were still intact, if torn here and there. Her shoes were all but ruined, the soles almost ripped clean off from both her clawed feet suddenly emerging and the battle that happened afterwards. Spikes stuck out of newly ripped holes on her pants and shirt, effectively ruining any hope that she had to ever wear this outfit again. All in all, she looked like she had been through a saw mill, but at least she was decent.

Looking back at her friends, a fresh wave of fear coursed through her. She managed to take down the demon, saved her friends and her assistant, only to be left with the very real possibility of friendly fire.

The trio stood in silence, eyeing each other wearily for what seemed like ages. As the minutes dragged on, Leah found herself getting more anxious and annoyed. Finally, she decided to take the first action. Rolling over and sitting on the ground, Leah leaned back on a stalagmite and exasperatingly complained. "Can we not?"

She asked as more of a plea than a request, but it got the message got across.

At first alerted by her movement, Kormac and Valla had tensed, fearing an attack, but after hearing their friend's exasperated request, they relaxed a bit. Valla lowered her weapon, and Kormac let his shield hang by his side, showing that they too did not want to fight.

Feeling relieved at her friend's reaction, and that she wasn't in immediate danger anymore, Leah pulled her legs up to her chest and buried her face in her arms, curling in on herself. It was all just too much. This shouldn't be happening… She took deep breaths, trying to block out the world for just a moment, grasping onto any good thoughts or memories that she could think of to dull the anxiety and stress that she felt right then.

She felt a hand on her arm, a comforting and gentle touch, and she deliberately looked up very slowly.

It was Kormac, still wary, and still in a defensive posture, but at least he was reaching out. Leah turned the sides of her mouth upwards in a slight smile, but it felt forced.

Kormac looked like he was trying to find the right words to say. He struggled for a few moments, a variety of expressions crossing his face as he weighed his options. Finally giving up he settled for a simple "Hey." And with that he sat down opposite her, trying to wrap his head around the new development.

Valla stood back from the other two, conflicting thoughts running through her head like a storm. _**A demon!**_ _But she saved us._ _ **It's a trick!**_ _She's your friend._ _ **She's a different person now!**_ _You know that's not true._ _ **She is demon spawn!**_ _... You already knew that, idiot._

That's when it struck her. That's right, she did know that already. Ever since Adria's betrayal, she had known that her best friend was the spawn of the Lord of Terror. It had been troublesome yes, but it hadn't tarnished her view of her friend then.

What changed? Her appearance for one. And the demonic presence, and the dark magic… But still, her playful banter, her optimism, her ready laugh and sense of humour, it was all there. Nothing about her friend's demeanor had alerted her in any way that something had been wrong. Quite the opposite if she was being honest. Leah's personality and presence had lit up her day in ways that she hadn't experienced in over a year. And yes, even the solemn demon hunter had missed that from her life.

She made eye contact with the demon sitting in front of her, trying to see her friend. The deep glow of demonic eyes stared back at her, but there was a softness to them. The intensity of battle had been replaced by the tired worry that was now apparent. Leah looked back at her friend, but quickly broke her gaze out of shame, burying her head in her arms again.

Valla cautiously walked over to her friend. Her training and conditioning screaming at her to shoot the demon when it was vulnerable, but her conscience telling her to comfort her friend.

Valla too, stood in front of Leah, trying as the templar had done before her to find the right words to say. She had a similar degree of success.

"Well. You're a demon." She said matter-of-factly.

It wasn't an accusation, merely a statement. As neutral of a statement as the demon huntress could think of.

Leah visibly pouted and retreated further into herself. "Yeah thanks for noticing. It's not like it's my choice." She mumbled into her arms. She immediately regretted the sarcasm, quickly glancing up at her friend. "Sorry… I didn't mean that." She muttered.

Leah tucked her tail around her feet and hugged herself even tighter. The uncomfortableness of the situation crushing her.

Valla stood in silence for a few moments before letting out an exasperated sigh. "Well, I think we should get your friend back to the inn about now." She said motioning to the dazed man lying against the wall.

Apparently, Jason had seen everything. The stunned man just opened and closed his mouth like a fish out of water, looking like he was trying to form words and making gagging noises, before his eyes finally rolled back into his head and he passed out.

Leah quickly got up and rushed to his side. "Jason!" She called out, concerned. Valla and Kormac tensed for a second as Leah dashed across the room, but seeing that she was just checking on her friend, they relaxed again.

Leah checked for a pulse, and was relieved to find that Jason was alive. "Probably fainted from fright and low blood pressure." She diagnosed to her friends. Her voice had returned to normal now that she wasn't enraged anymore.

Ignoring the man being tended to, Valla turned back to Kormac. "Can you walk?"

Kormac had managed to get his torn pieces of armour off so that they were no longer causing him further injury, but he was still covered in cuts and bleeding from multiple wounds. With a groan, he got to his feet. The heavy man stumbled for a moment before regaining his balance. "I think I can manage."

Valla motioned back to the injured assistant lying against the wall, and the concerned demoness fussing over him. "So who's going to carry the guy?"


	5. Bittersweet Victory

Chapter 5: Bittersweet Victory

Leah had never thought she would ever be carrying a man twice her size on her back. Well, normally twice her size. She was about the same height as him now, but still, he was freaking heavy!

Kormac had offered to carry Jason at first, but after his third failed attempt at heaving the poor man over his shoulder, it became apparent that the Templar was in no shape to carry such a load. Valla, as strong as she was, was half the man's size, and did not possess the strength to carry him either. So yes, Leah was left to carry her co-worker back to the village.

Now, this meant two things:

One. She couldn't carry anything else, so her broken bow was still lying where she had left it.

And, two. She couldn't turn back to normal as then she wouldn't have the strength to carry Jason.

Because of this, when Jason finally woke up, the first thing he noticed was a spiked tail and bright red legs with black-clawed feet. Even more alarming to him, these features belonged to whatever creature was carrying him unceremoniously like a bag of flour.

Needless to say, he was not pleased.

"Ah! Put me down you monster!" He yelled as he banged on Leah's back with his one good arm. It had little effect other than startling her, as Jason was still very weak from his imprisonment by the Terror Demon.

He tried a kick next, but his broken legs protested painfully. The next sound out of his mouth was a very loud curse and cry of pain.

Leah grew concerned that Jason would injure himself further with his struggling, and tried to put him down as gently as she could. Unfortunately, Jason was so injured that even the motion of sliding him off her back caused him to cry out in pain again.

The others heard the commotion and turned around to see what was the matter. Seeing what had happened, Kormac walked up to Jason and jokingly scolded him. "Easy lad! You're safe now. And if I were you, I wouldn't say mean things like that to your boss."

Jason stopped moving when Kormac started speaking, and looked up at the templar with a puzzled expression on his face. He then looked over to Valla who was standing a few metres away with her arms crossed impatiently. Jason struggled to put the events of the past few hours in order and make any sense of what was happening at that moment. Finally snapping back to reality, he turned to stare past Kormac at Leah.

Neither said anything for a while, but Leah looked like she wanted to shrink and disappear. Instead, she had to suffer under the accusing and scrutinizing gaze of a close friend for the third time that day.

That was enough! She had done enough! She had risked her life to save him, and this was the kind of thanks she got?!

Suddenly angry, she glared back at him, determined not to let him get to her this time. "Yeah, get a good look Jason. Mock the demon like everyone else." She crossed her arms and gave an indignant huff.

Jason quickly averted his gaze and looked back to Kormac. "Damnit," he coughed, "that's really her, isn't it? What the hell?" He coughed violently again, this time spitting out blood. Jason moaned in pain and keeled over as the coughs sent shards of pain throughout his body.

Leah immediately regretted being snide with the man. She wasn't helping anyone by being a bitch over what was a completely normal reaction to being carried by a demon. Jason had basically just found out that his boss was a being of the burning hells, and he really hadn't had that much time to process it.

Leah rushed over and quickly knelt next to Jason. She started gently prodding him and tried to figure out what was wrong. She had had some training in battlefield first aid, and she intended to put it to good use.

Jason shirked away at her touch, but that didn't stop her.

"Oh my god. Hold still." She prodded his mid-section, trying to figure out if he had internal bleeding. "Where does it hurt? Here? No. Ok so it's not your liver…" She tried to go back to assessing him when he grabbed her hand, stopping her.

"Stop it! This doesn't make any sense. Why are you helping me?"

The honest questioning tone of Jason's voice caught Leah off guard. She would have thought that after spending the good part of a year working together that the answer would be obvious.

Leah looked him straight in the eyes, trying to muster up a determined tone in her voice. "Because I care about you stupid. Duh?"

Jason was at a loss for words. It wasn't that he hadn't expected an answer like that, it was Leah after all. But wait, it was a demon… wait no, Leah was the demon. But demons were evil? But Leah was such a kind person, and yet she was a demon?… His head started to hurt as two sets of facts he had thought to be mutually exclusive warred with each other in his damaged mind.

Leah took Jason's silence and stillness as permission to continue. Finally deciding that Jason didn't have any internal bleeding, and thank the heavens he didn't, she looked back at her friends to deliver her diagnosis.

"My guess? He seems to have bitten the inside of his cheek, and that's why he's spitting blood. He has a few cracked ribs, one arm and both legs are broken, and he has heavy bruising on his torso and face." She stood up and wiped her hands on her pants cleaning the blood and grime off them. She gave her companions a weak smile. "But luckily nothing life threatening."

Valla turned and regarded the injured man, finally joining in the conversation. "Good. Then we have at least saved one of the demon's victims."

She turned back to Leah, a flash of poorly concealed discomfort crossed her features when laying eyes on Leah's demonic form, but she quickly tried to hide it by reverting to her usual neutral expression.

"Get him back up so we can move. The sun is setting, and I don't want to be out in the woods at night with an injured civilian if I can help it."

Leah nodded to her friend "Ok."

She reached down to pick up Jason again, but he snapped out of his internal conflict and cowered away from her with a hiss. "No! Don't touch me."

A hurt expression crossed Leah's face and she visibly pouted. Jason immediately started to feel guilty. He didn't like making her sad. Ugh, what was he saying? It, _she_ , was a demon!

Still, the way she looked at him… it was just so god-awful familiar.

Leah crouched down to the same level as her friend.

"Jason, unless you can walk on two broken legs I'm going to have to carry you. So just deal with it until we get back to the inn okay?" Jason just stared at her, but he gave an ever so slight nod.

Leah picked him up again, this time carrying him in front of her with his legs draped over one arm and the other under his shoulders.

He didn't struggle this time, but it still freaked the heck out of him. Still, it was more comfortable than being slung over her back like a sack of potatoes. He looked up at her and tried to quash his fear as Valla led the wounded party back to his house.

* * *

Jason fell asleep sometime into the walk, his exhaustion finally catching up with him.

Leah's arms were warm, but not uncomfortably so. Toasty, like a warm water skin that you hugged when you had a cold. Eventually, the gentle warmth of her arms and slow sway of her stride lulled the heavy man to sleep. Leah noticed his quiet snores and tried not to make any sudden movements. He'd been through a lot. The least he deserved was a little rest.

The sun was setting when Jason's house finally came into view. The twilight sun casted the world in an orange glow. The light filtered through the sparse trees, leaving the ground dancing with sprinkles of light almost as if it was lit on fire. The cabin itself was cast in shadow from the surrounding forest, and hadn't been disturbed since they had last seen it.

The group decided that it was best not to leave Jason unattended in his house. The deadbolt was broken and his bed was ruined. It was no place for a person to dwell, let alone a badly injured one. On a unanimous decision, the group decided it best to head back to the inn for the night.

They took turns carrying Jason two at a time once they got close to the settlement. Leah didn't want to risk a lynch mob by showing up looking as she did, and the others didn't argue.

Kormac and Valla seemed to be taking things quite well. They tried to talk to her like normal, and though she could tell it was at least somewhat forced, she appreciated the effort.

Jason was only half conscious though the last leg of the journey. He let out the occasional moan of pain here and there, but otherwise stayed silent.

The man's legs were next to useless, so progress was slow. Bearing the heavy man's weight, even in a combined effort, was significantly slower than when Leah could just carry him on her own, and by the time they got to the inn, the sun was almost gone.

A small crowd had gathered outside the inn. The local patrons wondering why it wasn't open yet. Leah pushed through the crowd.

"Sorry folks, we're closed for today and tomorrow. Personal issues and all that."

One of the men in the crowd, a farmer that she recognised as one of her regulars looked alarmed.

"Goodness Leah, you and your friends look like you were attacked by a bear!" He looked her over. "And where are your shoes?"

Leah pushed past the man and unlocked the door to the inn while her friends carried Jason behind her.

"My shoes are probably still at the bottom of a cave." She pushed the door open and beckoned her friends inside. "Oh, by the way. The demon kidnapping people is now dead. You're welcome. Goodnight everyone."

With that last remark, she closed the door and locked it behind her. Leaving the villagers to wonder about what had just happened by themselves.

* * *

The inn was dark, and the last of the sun filtering through the windows was doing little to illuminate the common room. Leah watched as her friends shuffled into a table, nearly blind in the low light. Quickly realising that unlike her, her friends couldn't see in the dark, she walked over and lit the hearth with a little hellfire. It wasn't like anyone was there to see her.

With the room now lit with a warm orange glow, she helped her friends carry Jason up the stairs and into a guest room. They tried to place him on the bed in a comfortable position, but the he was so injured than any movement whatsoever made him wince in pain. He let out a few curses as they tried to move him, so they eventually gave up and let him position himself.

Leah spent the next few hours setting and splinting Jason's broken legs and arm, cleaning and bandaging his wounds, and trying to get some pain relief medicine into his system. With Jason being as incapacitated as he was, the process was slow, and when Leah was finally done, the night had already set in. Finally under the effects of medicinal herbs and pain medicine, Jason dozed off into a deep sleep.

Leaving the room and closing the door behind her, Leah turned her attention to her injured friends.

She first helped Valla put her arm in a splint. The huntress didn't object, trying her best to help her friend do up the bandage. They didn't talk much, and Leah honestly preferred it that way. She didn't really want to have an unpleasant conversation at that moment, and it was best to give her friend time to come to terms with the events of the day. So, they just sat and worked in silence.

Valla eventually went off to be by herself, as she often did before heading off to bed, leaving Kormac and Leah alone in the main dining area.

Leah helped the Templar out of his remaining armour and started applying rubbing alcohol to his cuts. He gritted the pain like a true warrior, and even took the opportunity to chat with her.

"So, take after your old man much? Haha-" His laugh was cut short as Leah applied another swab of alcohol to a particularly nasty cut.

She didn't make eye contact. She really didn't want to discuss the topic at that moment, but she realized that she would have to sooner or later. Plus Kormac we being really nice and casual about it.

"Yeah, I take after him more than I would like to, if I am being completely honest." She reached for the needle and thread, preparing to stitch her friend back together.

Kormac paused for a moment, knowing that he had struck a sore spot, and tried to pick his next words carefully.

"Yeah well, our parentage doesn't define us."

Leah didn't respond, but started the suture. Kormac lost his goofy grin,

"You could have told us. We would have understood."

Leah still didn't meet his eyes.

"Maybe. Maybe not." She tied up the suture and reached for the alcohol once more. "Demon hunters don't tend to make friends with demons." She continued as she applied the alcohol to another deep gash.

Kormac cringed again at the stinging. "You're not a demon Leah."

This time she actually looked at him.

"Oh really?" She held his gaze for a second, willing her eyes to glow red for a moment, accentuating her point. A flash of shock crossed Kormac's face, but he hid it quickly, meeting her challenging stare. Leah relented and went back to swabbing the wound.

"You know what I mean." Kormac said quietly.

Leah dropped her arms in a huff.

"No Kormac, I don't. Someone is either a demon, or not a demon. And based on the reflection I look at every morning, I belong to the first category."

Kormac closed his eyes and took a breath.

"This is why you didn't contact us isn't it? This self-exile is a form of punishment for what you believe are your sins? Is that it?" Leah said nothing, threading the needle for what would be her next suture.

"Leah, I know all about sin. We are all sinners, and no amount of self-punishment is going to change what we are." Leah tugged on the thread, tightening the knot in the end. She still wasn't convinced.

" _You_ were never guilty of the sins society accused you of Kormac." She countered.

Kormac let out a grunt as Leah put more alcohol on his wound.

"And what? You are?" He let out a genuine laugh. "Last I checked, you were a sweet and bubbly girl that ran an inn for weary travelers." He puffed out his chest. "Leah, the archer and scholar, who helped take down the prime evils themselves."

Leah dabbed another wound.

"You left out the part where I am the unholy offspring of one of those prime evils."

Kormac laughed again.

"Oh and I'm supposed to assume that you, like the prime evils, have an army of demons ready to slaughter innocents by the thousands?" His goofy grin went back to his face. "No wait don't tell me! Your cat is secretly Azmodan, and these chairs here are infused with the ashes of your victims."

Leah couldn't help but smile at his absurd joking. They sat in silence for a few moments smiling to themselves, before Kormac got serious again.

"Leah, when I said you weren't a demon, that wasn't the right word. You aren't a monster, and you most certainly aren't your father." He smiled once again as a thoughtful expression crossed his features. "What's that phrase? Oh yes! You are your own man, or uh, woman. Or demoness I suppose."

Leah's mood lightened at his comment.

"Thanks Kormac." She said quietly. She started to cover his wounds with fresh bandages, and he reached out to help her.

"Anytime Leah. And if our lovely grouch Valla has a crossbow bolt too far up her rear end to tell you this herself, thanks for saving us back there."

"Anything for a friend." She smiled back.

Kormac slowly stood up with a groan. "Well, I'm off to bed. And I sleep with a mace under my pillow, so don't sneak up on me with your horns out okay? I've been known to try and smash surprises in my sleep."

Leah laughed again, a genuine laugh. All the feelings of sadness and despair she was feeling seemed to just wash out of her in the stream of giggles.

"I promise I won't do that. Goodnight Kormac."

He gave her one last signature smile before heading upstairs.

"Goodnight Leah."

* * *

A/N - This story keeps getting fewer and fewer chapters as I consolidate chapters that I deem to be too short to stand alone. So yeah, no more 10 chapter story, more like 6. But that being said, as I edit, the chapters get longer. So its a longer story, released in less time. Yay?

Anyway comment, follow, fave, thanks!

Until next time!


	6. Family

Chapter 6: Family

Jason hurt all over.

He didn't want to wake up, but the harsh light of the sun was shining in his face through the open window next to him. The injured man wished it to go away so that he could go back to sleep, but one could not bargain with the sun.

Jason let out a groan, and tried to sit up, only to relax again as every muscle in his body complained at him.

He groggily opened his eyes and tried to make sense of everything, how he got here. He recognised the guest room he was in. The small single bed room was lit with a warm glow in the mid-morning sun. The rays of light filtering in through the open window were warm on his face, and the smell of fresh grass and meadow flowers wafted in on a light breeze.

It seemed like the perfect day for a nap, and he was so tired and sore. He was about to drift back to sleep when a sudden headache racked his head. A rush of memories shocked him back to his senses.

He grasped his head in pain with his one good hand.

He remembered… going home last night. Yes. Then he went to bed. All was normal, but he was woken by a loud crash. A monstrous silhouette in his doorway flashed in his memory, as vivid as it had been last night. A monster with black scales and glowing eyes. A demon! A demon had attacked him in his sleep. He had fought it, stabbing it with his hunting knife, but it knocked him hard on the head.

Another throb of pain emanated from his head, causing him to let out a quiet moan. He remembered… darkness, and pain. Oh the pain. The demon had toyed with him, as a cat toys with a mouse before killing it.

It beat him, it maimed him. He remembered wanting to be unconscious, wanting the pain to just stop. Almost wishing for death.

Then a light. A light in the darkness. The light of his saviours! Someone came to rescue him. He remembered being so happy, but then the demon got to them. They were going to die, just as he was.

He remembered watching the fight, his vision blurry from the beatings and the tears. But he didn't need clear vision to see that his rescuers were losing. He lost all hope. The demon approached his rescuers, now lying prone on the ground from the fight…

Then it got confusing, because the next thing he remembered was a second demon, this one smaller, attacking the first demon. They fought viciously, it was barbaric. The screaming and slashing like cornered animals fighting to the death. Then, nothing… Did he pass out?

Wait… that wasn't all. He remembered… Leah… carrying him? Wait what?!How did she do that?

He tried to clear his memory, but everything was hazy and it only made his head hurt more.

Yes the person carrying him, they had looked like Leah, but they had horns! And glowing eyes!

He sat up abruptly at the realisation. Leah was a demon! The other demon in his memories! Now fully awake, he finally noticed a figure leaning on the side of his bed, sound asleep.

 _Speak of the devil. Literally._

Leah lay there resting, her head on her arms on the edge of his bed, looking like her normal self, and sleeping like a log.

He jerked away in fear and revulsion. Had she spent the whole night there? Only inches from him? The thought terrified him.

Another headache sprang up and suddenly, more memories came back to him. A hand gently poking his stomach and asking him where it hurt. A genuinely sympathetic smile, despite her demonic appearance, as her words echoed in his mind _"because I care about you stupid."_ A warm touch and gentle rocking as he was carried home. Her worried face as she tried her best to tend to his wounds.

She had saved him. She and her friends had come to his rescue.

For all the times that he had assured her about being her protector, in the end, she was the one that had been his.

He looked hard at the girl. Such a cute face with soft features. He found it difficult to picture her as the demon that lay underneath. But it was there, burned in his memory. He thought hard about it, trying to remember the details. It was frightening, sinister, powerful, but at the same time, still… _her._

Jason was conflicted. He had fallen for her hard in the last few months, but he had also prided himself on being a gentleman. He hadn't wanted to ruin their friendship by moving too quickly. And she really was his best friend. She had offered him a job when no one else would. Her ready smile and sly sense of humour had lit up his day. He trusted her with all his heart.

This, however, was just insane. She was a demon! No man in the right mind should be attracted to a demon. Yet here he was, trying to keep his own emotions and thoughts under control, as the mysterious maiden sleeping next to him vexed him to no end.

Leah stirred, startling Jason. It was one thing to be beside a sleeping demon, but one that was awake was a different story. He tried to shift away from her, but his body protested angrily and he gave up.

The girl sat up and rubbed her eyes sleepily. Realising that her friend was awake, she gave him her signature warm smile. "Good morning. How do you feel?"

He tried to move and groaned at the pain. "Like I got mauled by a demon." He said in an accusing tone.

Leah noticed and looked down in shame. "Yeah well, I guess that's natural given the circumstances." She said sheepishly.

Jason studied her face, trying to find any hint that her concern was anything other than genuine. Leah caught his gaze and shirked away. Flushing red and feeling very self-conscious, she got up off the stool she had been sitting on and turned to leave.

"I better go make breakfast." She said hurriedly.

Before she could exit the room, Jason reached out with his one good hand and caught the hem of her shirt. "Leah, wait."

Time froze. Leah stopped very suddenly and turned around hesitantly.

Jason caught her eyes, and he saw such anguish in them. The hurt, the worry, and the fear of… of him?

 _Of all things, a demon is afraid of me._ Jason thought to himself for a moment. He hadn't planned on anything beyond stopping her. It had been a gut reaction. He didn't fully understand why he had done it in the first place. He struggled to find words.

"Just…" He pondered, "Thanks." He let her go and left it at that.

Leah nodded to him and left the room, hey eyes tearing silently. It hurt to leave it like this, but she didn't want to make him any more uncomfortable than he already was.

Jason stared at the empty doorway for a while, regretting what he had just done, but also unable to do anything else.

He leaned back into the soft bed, and pondered the demoness that had taken him in, risked her life for him, and spent the whole night worrying over him… only to flee come morning.

* * *

Leah was greeted by the smell of cooked eggs as she walked down the stairs into the main room. The dinning room was clean and well kept, having not been used the previous day. A fire burned merrily in the hearth, and Kormac was sitting at the bar, sipping what Leah hoped was water and not her stock of ale.

Noticing the new arrival, the Templar beckoned his friend to join him. "Come sit. Valla is just finishing up breakfast. You wouldn't know it by looking at her, but she is actually trying to learn how to cook."

Leah took his invitation and sat down next to her friend. Seconds later, Valla exited the kitchen, holding three plates of slightly charred scrambled eggs with only one hand. A feat any person should be proud of.

"And the master emerges from her lair! With crunchy egg morsels for our waiting mouths no doubt." Kormac jested at her.

"Shut it you overgrown oaf. At least I tried." She shot back, placing the plates on the counter.

"Ah you know I kid. I'm sure this egg crisp is entirely adequate for my consumption."

She gave him a glare. "Bite me." Valla tried to look offended, but the slight smile at the corner of her mouth gave away her true feelings.

Leah just sat in silence, appreciating the moments she was sharing with her friends. Not worrying about demons or undead, just having fun.

They sat and ate and laughed, just enjoying each other's company. Everything felt so normal. Safe.

When the meal was done, Valla cleared her throat to get everyone's attention. The huntress turned to look at Leah, not accusingly, but seriously.

"Leah, I was talking with Kormac last night, and well. We need to talk."

A feeling of dread washed over Leah, she had no idea what her friend was going to say next. And the tone of her friend's voice didn't inspire any confidence.

Valla cleared her throat again. Showing her discomfort with the topic about to be discussed. "You know of my mission, and my hatred for the dark forces of the world." She began, "I took an oath to wipe demonic evil from the face of sanctuary. To avenge the deaths of my parents and protect the innocent from the forces of chaos and darkness." Valla's neutral expression hadn't changed, and Leah was fearful of what her friend might be implying.

"I would be lying if I said that I was completely okay with you being a demon. The daughter of Diablo no less," Valla broke her gaze, slightly ashamed of what she had just said. Nonetheless, anything else would have been a lie.

The huntress quickly continued. "But you're my friend, _our_ friend, and… I still want to trust you." Valla tried a small smile. "So just, be patient with me getting used to all of this. I promise I will try." Valla let out a quiet chuckle. "Plus, there is always room for one more archer in this party of idiots."

Kormac lifted his mug in a toast. "Hear hear!" He patted Leah roughly on the back, almost knocking her off her stool. "You're one amazing woman Leah. The world needs more people like you."

Leah sat in stunned silence. She had expected icy silence, anger, threats, but this? This felt like a dream. A good one too. She couldn't believe it.

Unable to contain her emotions, she started to tear up. Sniffling to herself like some child. Valla looked concerned. "Are you alright?"

Kormac put a strong arm around Leah. "I think our friend here is happy is all. Nothing to be concerned about." He pulled the small girl into a bear hug, "You don't have to hide anymore Leah. Not from us."

That made Leah only sob harder, hugging the teddy bear of a Templar back. Valla took the hint and walked over to awkwardly join the group hug.

For the first time in over a year, Leah felt truly at home. Surrounded by those who cared about her. He true family. Not her witch of a biological mother, or her literal demon of a father, but the embrace of true friends. Friends who trusted her. Who would risk their lives for her, and she for them.

If she imagined really hard, she could almost feel Uncle Deckard with her too.

She savoured it, every moment of it, even as tears streamed down her face.

And it was the best feeling that she had ever felt.

* * *

A/N

This story is almost over. Next update will be the epilogue/ last chapter. Hope you liked it so far. We are almost there.


	7. To New Beginnings

Chapter 7 / Epilogue: To New Beginnings

Everything went back to normal eventually. Valla and Kormac stayed at the inn for the next few weeks, healing from their battle and pitching in however they could.

Kormac took over most of Jason's chores, while Valla tried waitressing. It worked for the most part. Even with only one good arm Valla still had managed to deftly balance dishes and even beat up and drag out a group of particularly misbehaving mercenaries. Honestly, Leah was just glad to have her friends around, for as long as she could have them.

Jason was bedridden for almost a week before he could move, even with the help of casts and crutches. His broken arm and leg healed fairly quickly, and Leah made sure he was well fed and taken care of. Kormac, Leah, and Valla had even gone over one day to repair his house and clean up what they could from the demon attack. Leah went so far as to buy him a new bed since the old one was trashed.

The days passed happily if uneventfully. There were no new disappearances, and Leah and her friends were regarded as heroes for saving the town.

Five weeks after the battle with the terror demon Leah and her friends were sitting and chatting in the main room after closing up shop for the night. It had become a part of their routine.

"Phew, that should be the last of it." Kormac said as he put a fresh pile of firewood next to the fireplace. "It's going to be fall soon, I can feel it. A nip to the air there is." The large templar sat down heavily at a table.

Leah had made tea for her friends, and they were enjoying the warm beverage along with an evening snack of bread and butter.

"Indeed." Agreed Valla as she refilled her mug. Her broken arm was finally out of the sling. Although it was still considerably weaker than her good arm, it would be good as new in a week or two.

Kormac was also looking much better. Leah had removed all the man's stitches 2 weeks ago, and only a few of them had left scars.

All in all, the group all looked a lot healthier, and happier for that matter.

They sat and talked for a while, enjoying their tea and discussing the changing seasons and happenings around town, when a creak and thud from the stairs startled them.

"Jason!" Cried Leah as she ran to help the man. It appeared that Jason had managed to get up from his bed and make it halfway down the stairs before dropping one of his crutches, effectively stranding him on the steps.

Overall, he looked a lot better. Most of his minor injuries had healed, and his arm was finally out of the cast. His leg still needed the extra support of crutches, but his mobility had improved dramatically. Still, Leah had to put his arm over her to move him down the rest of the stairs and over to the table.

"You really should be resting. It's nighttime, and the more sleep you can get the faster you'll heal." Leah reprimanded him as she gave him a pout.

Jason scowled. "Leah, I've done nothing but sleep for the past few weeks! I need a bit of exercise. Plus, I wanted to chat with you and your friends. It gets lonely in bed all day you know?"

Leah was going to argue further but relented. He was right, he had been bedridden for weeks. "Well, do you want some tea?" She offered.

"Yes please."

With that, he joined the group as they chatted.

"So Jason, you ever go adventuring?" Kormac asked the smaller man.

Jason looked down sadly at the question. "Yes actually. It was a while ago though."

"Well I'll be. I knew there was something I liked about you!" Kormac laughed and pat the other man roughly on the back.

Valla gave Jason a puzzled look. "Interesting. What made you decide to be an inn keep's assistant? A bit of a step down if you ask me."

Jason's didn't look up, and he quietly muttered something under his breath.

"Demons."

Everyone was silent for a moment as the weight of his words settled in. Jason took a shaky breath and continued.

"I'll never forget that day that I lost my best friend to those monsters." He practically spat.

"We had taken a shortcut though the mountains, and we were ambushed by flying demons. My friend and I, we were barely old enough to be adults, and he was taken away from the world." He hung his head, feeling a rush of grief and hatred. "I hate them all." He looked up and caught Leah's eye, who was looking at him with sympathy, but a bit of hurt too.

Jason quickly fumbled for words. "Present company not included!" He quickly amended. He rested his head on his hands. "We were just farm boys. We didn't know about fighting, but we thought we could take on the world, and we paid dearly for it." He pulled back the collar of his shirt and showed the group a nasty looking scar that ran from his neck to his chest. "I almost didn't make it that day either."

Leah put a hand to her mouth in shock. She had never heard this story. She knew that he had been an adventurer at one point, and that that was how he got his scar, but he had never elaborated, and she hadn't pried. "I'm so sorry Jason." She gently grabbed his hand.

He relaxed at the contact. "It was a long time ago. I trained since then to become a better warrior, but in the end, adventure just didn't call to me like it once did. Besides, I have no one left to adventure with." He shifted his collar to hide his scar again. "So I just tend an inn."

Valla nodded at Jason. "I too lost ones I loved to the demons. People like us, our hatred makes us stronger. Gives us the will to fight the darkness. I understand your pain friend." Jason looked grateful for the sympathy, but then turned to Leah.

"Listen, Leah. You are the nicest woman I have ever met. A great boss, a great cook, gentle, kind…" A small smile crossed his face, only for him to shake his head and the smile was replaced by a look of shock. He let go of her hand. "But how the hell are you a demon? It just makes no freaking sense!"

Leah shifted uncomfortably. They hadn't really talked about it since the incident. Both of them had tried to act as normal as possible. Avoiding the issue. Leah really didn't like talking about it.

"Well…" She started, but Kormac interjected.

"It's not her fault Jason. Don't give the girl flack about something she can't control." Leah sighed and looks at Kormac.

"It's fine Kormac. He has the right to ask questions after all he's been through." Leah steeled herself and shifted her gaze to Jason.

"Long story short. My mom was a witch, and she forged a pact with a demon to create a vessel for him to possess. Hence they made a child, yours truly."

Jason just sat with his mouth open in shock. Feeling awkward in the silence, Leah kept talking.

"My mother left after I was born, and eventually I was raised by my uncle Deckard. Well, he wasn't really my uncle, but he was my family in everything but blood, and the only person I ever really saw as a parent." Leah shifted uncomfortably at the next part.

"But then my mother came back to enact the final part of her and my father's plan. I knew nothing about my real father, or the fact that I was part demon."

The old sting of memories of betrayal surfaced and Leah grimaced. "I trusted her. I thought she had come back for me, so I was caught by surprise when she betrayed me to my father…" Leah shuddered and Valla put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Valla took over for her friend. "She was possessed by her demon father against her will. We managed to kill him, but we thought her dead as well."

Kormac jumped in. "And we are glad that she isn't."

Jason looked thoughtful for a moment as he took a sip of tea.

"Ok, I guess that makes sense." He leaned forward to ask his next question. "If you don't mind me asking, who is your father?"

Leah was a bit surprised at his question. "You really don't want to know…" She muttered.

Jason leaned in closer. "That bad?"

Leah nodded. "That bad."

Jason's eyes widened. "Come on. Now I just want to know more!" He scratched his chin in thought. "A demon lord? Wait let me guess." Jason thought of all the names of powerful demons he knew.

"Belial?"

Leah shook her head. "Nope."

Jason thought again. "Azmodan? Baal? Mephisto?"

Again, Leah shook her head. Jason was running out of to be honest he didn't know all that much about demons. "Uh" he thought once again, when suddenly a name popped into his mind. It couldn't be…

"Oh my god… Diablo?" He was almost afraid to ask. Leah remained silent, but nodded ever so slightly.

Jason nearly dropped his tea. "No way! The least intimidating person I know is daughter of the Lord of Terror?!" He looked at Leah, searching for any resemblance to the pure evil that Diablo was famous for. It was a futile search. "By the burning hells if I had not seen your demonic form myself I would tell you all that you're full of horse shit."

He leaned back into his chair and let out a sigh. "The Nephalem hero, a Templar, and the daughter of Diablo. That's one hell of an adventuring party you guys have got here."

Valla laughed a bit. "Don't forget the mischievous flirty thief and the ancient enchantress that sometimes join us."

Jason looked at them incredulously. "You're all crazy you know that right?"

Kormac let out a loud guffaw. "Wouldn't have it any other way!"

Leah leaned her chin on her hands as she addressed her friends. "So what now? You guys are almost healed, and I assume you aren't going to stick around forever."

Valla and Kormac looked at each other for a moment, as if having a silent conversation. Valla finally broke the silence. "We don't know yet. The danger here has been dealt with. So, just back on the road again. Maybe head back to Westmarch, see what we can find there?"

Kormac nodded. "Anywhere the Nephalem goes I go."

Valla turned back to Leah. "What about you? What are you going to do now?"

Leah thought for a moment. It was something that had been on her mind for a while as well. "Well, I was thinking of selling this place eventually and moving to a larger city. If you guys are going to Westmarch, I guess I could see what kind of property is available there. I hope you wouldn't mind."

Kormac broke into a big smile. "Of course we wouldn't mind! You should come adventuring with us again sometime!" He gave Leah a wink. "You can bring your boyfriend." He said motioning to Jason. Both Jason and Leah flushed at the Templar's insinuation.

"He's not-!" Leah started before Kormac interrupted her. "I know, I know. I jest. But you would be great— "

Valla jabbed him in the ribs, "Stop torturing the poor souls you big oaf." There was silence for a moment, then they all start laughing. At the absurdity of the situation, at the absurdity of their lives, they just laughed.

This, this was something that Leah could get used to.


	8. Epilogue

Epilogue:

The next morning, Valla and Kormac got ready to leave. "Well, it's been a pleasure Leah." Kormac said cordially as he hefted his equipment over his shoulders.

Valla gave Leah a quick hug. "Don't be a stranger. If you need anything, contact us." She said to her friend.

"I will. Thanks guys. I hope to see you soon!" Leah said back.

"Us too." Agreed the demon huntress.

Jason stood next to Leah, wishing to see her friends off as well. He handed the huntress her bag. "You're a good man Jason. Be nice to your boss." She told him.

He gave her a nod. "Don't worry. I will."

With a nod Valla turned to join her friend at the doorway. "See you around!" Kormac yelled from the threshold as he waved goodbye. With a final shut of the door, they were gone.

Leah just stood where she was for a while, thinking seriously about the plans they had discussed the night before.

A few minutes passed before Jason finally broke the silence. "You have great friends."

She nodded in agreement. "The best."

"So you're really going to do it? Sell the inn and move? To Westmarch?" Jason asked genuinely.

Leah didn't hesitate with her reply. "Yes, I am."

She turned towards him. "I don't expect you to come with me Jason. You have a home here. You can even take over the inn if you want. I just… need a change of scenery. I'm still young, and I don't think I'm quite ready to settle down permanently just yet."

Jason was thoughtful for a moment, pondering her offer. "No. I think I will come with you. I settled down here hoping to find a stable job and forget the call of adventure, but seeing you and your friends, what they do? I would love to be a part of that, in any way I can." He paused, "If you'll have me that is."

Leah smiled at him. "Jason, you're welcome to come along. And I wouldn't rather have anyone else as company."

He gave her a warm smile. "Well, I wouldn't rather have anyone else for a demonic boss. _My mistress_." He smirked as he gave a mock bow, and Leah flicked him on the head.

"If you start calling me that I will royally fire you." She chided, and he laughed.

"Okay okay, partners?" Jason countered.

Leah nodded. "Partners."

"So what next? Is this the end of the Lonely Demon?" Asked Jason.

Leah chuckled to herself. "Yes it is. But you know what?" She turned to look at her friend. "I like to think of it as just a new beginning."

* * *

A/N: I debated whether or not I should post this last bit for a while. I left it open ended so that I could possibly write another story as a continuation, because after reading my finished product, it felt more like an act 1 than a story on itself.

That being said, I am taking a creative writing course this semester in University, so here's hoping I get some much needed professional instruction at dialogue, pacing, subplot, and tension. (All things I feel I desperately need to work on)

Anyway, I may or may not write the next story. My film degree is my main focus, but I have a soft spot for writing. Plus I have a love for this story. Who knows what the future holds?

Feel free to write your own sequel if you feel inspired, Fanfiction should be a place of free expression, and I love reading just as much as writing.

Enough introspection! Hope you guys enjoyed "Old Friends and New Beginings". As always feel free to leave comments, suggestions etc.

Until next time.


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